mystery Sonnar

[Nesster]

Sold on ebay, I figured for $39 shipped it was worth a look.

Some of the seller's pics - I hadn't seen such a Sonnar nor could I find another pic on the net that matched. Curiosity overcame sensibility.


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I figured I'd at least have an authentic lens cap out of this, and who knows, maybe get to buy a camera to fit the lens

The serial number, if all is correct, puts the lens in 1937.

So I waited for the package....

[Nesster]

So, deconstructing the lens once arrived.


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The whole thing was held in place by friction... Unstacked, here are the pieces. There seems to be the optical part of a Contax Sonnar,
plus the mount part. But what goes in between? And the mount doesn't have the means to tighten it (tiny set screws missing?).

The brass piece is an adapter or barrel component of some sort, for what I don't know.

So, what might the Contax lens been originally, a solid or collapsible? And what might I use it for now?

[iangreenhalgh1]

It's a pre-war collapsible. Probably just set screws missing as otherwise, it looks complete.

You can probably put the optical block into the barrel of an M39 Jupiter-8.

[BrianS]

It looks like someone filed down the flange on the lens barrel that would secure it into the mount. Perhaps the black tube to make it a "rigid" lens, or as an enlarger lens. Is it a 39mm thread?

[Nesster]

the brass barrel doesn't fit or hold onto anything on the lens. It seems to have been added as a sculptural element


Re. collapsible Sonnar, I thought that also... if someone here has one please post some pictures of the details of what the thing looks like

[Attila]

Pre-war collapsible Sonnar, ruined, this lens not falling to part I have several ones.

[BrianS]

The back of my Collapsible Sonnar, which is coated aftermanufacture. You can see the back of the barrel that allows it to bayonet into the mount.

As to what you can use it for now: The Contax lens does not have a helical. It can be mounted in a Jupiter-8 Leica mount focus mount, some "surgery" is required.

If you have any interest in trading it for another lens, let me know. I have an SMC 50/1.4 Super-Tak and some other choices if you are interested.

[Nesster]

Thank you for the pics, yes, I see... I'll do some research on the J-8 LTM thing, that sounds interesting. Thank you!

[BrianS]

What it looks like after the conversion,



And how it performs-



Wide-open on the M Monochrom.

The J-8 aperture ring must be used to fit into the mount. The Sonnar has one set screw holding it in the chrome barrel, undo it. The inner barrel unscrews, leaves you with a set of shims. This inner barrel screws into the J-8 focus mount.